Hooray for PBS

I have always loved Jim Henson from the time I was very young. All entertainment associated with the Henson family (in my eyes at least) has succeeded at being both fun and educational in a way that not only kids but parents can enjoy. They have always been ahead of the times in the case of diversity, equality, and keeping up with current events.

If any of you have young children who watch PBS you may have seen an adorable little show called Dinosaur Train. It's about a young T-Rex named Buddy who's adopted into the Pteranodon family. Him and his family travel the world on the Dinosaur Train to learn about different species of dinosaurs and even travel back and forth in time. It teaches children about the beauty of being different (all dinosaurs have different features) it helps you to learn about natural history and even some silly yet important issues such as everybody poops. Lets not forget that at the end of every episode Dr. Scott appears to tell everyone the facts and to help dispel any of the pretend information that was shown in the show for extra entertainment.

Today I have yet another reason to love this show and Jim Henson. The Pteranodons celebrate the Solstice! Now obviously Dinosaurs did not celebrate the holidays but it shows that the Solstice was around before man and gives children a taste for another reason for the season. Thank you Dinosaur Train and PBS.

Success!

This will possibly be my last update in the case of Ms Stephanie Turner and her son. For those of you who weren't aware young Christopher was singled out not only by his teacher but by his bus driver. He was told his faith wasn't a religion and was told not write about it during a class project that discussed the origins of Christmas. His bus driver who overheard a conversation between Christopher and his other Hispanic friends gave Christopher in school suspension and was told to no longer speak in a language that he (the driver) couldn't understand. The other children however were not spoken too. After many attempts to contact the school it would seem that she was being ignored.

Thankfully due to the enormous support from the Pagan community a task force swooped in and positioned themselves as mediators and representatives of the family. Recently a statement was released to update everyone on the progress of the situation.

Statement from Bowdon Elementary School, Carroll County School District, and members of the Turner Family Support Task Force as represented by Lady Liberty League, North Georgia Solitaries, Covenant of the Goddess, Dogwood Local Council, and Circle Sanctuary:

The Turner Family, Task Force, and School District want Bowdon School to be a positive, supportive environment which fosters the emotional ...and educational growth of all students.

With education, cooperation, and open dialogue, all things are possible.

At times, a lack of life experience and/or other circumstances can make it difficult to perceive how words and actions might cause offense or upset. The parties involved acknowledge that words and deeds can be hurtful even without the intent of making them so.

In an effort to reach a positive and collaborative resolution to recent events, an alliance of the parties involved has come to pass which will set the stage for future education for school staff, students, and parents on the topic of equality and respect for all students and families in the Carroll County School System.

First, a sincere apology for recent events and misunderstandings has been given by School Administration and accepted by the family.

Second, the Bowdon Elementary School guidance Counselor will educate staff and students about honoring and accepting the differences that make us individuals.

Third, procedures have been put in place to ensure classroom activities don't alienate students. As part of this, the administration and teachers will have yearly training about the District's Code of Ethics and the responsibilities of each staff member to preserve the integrity of every students' rights.

We appreciate the hard work and open dialogue of all the parties involved to create this positive resolution. The Turner children will return to school. The Carroll County School District will continue to strive to be a place that fosters the emotional and educational growth of all students regardless of religion, race, national origin, gender or disability.

Stephanie Turner appeared in the first part of Pagan Warrior Radio's Tuesday night show hosted by Selena Fox and Pamela Kelly. The show is available on i-Tunes for free download.

Still Left Out

In all of my bitching about mine and my family's crappy day yesterday I forgot to mention an interesting little tid-bit that I noticed at the hospital.

Every year around the holidays Mary Lane Hospital near where I live sets up a lovely little table dedicated to cultural/ spiritual diversity. It is quite nice to see that there are some who really care about equality and inclusiveness. On this table there is a plaque and display set up to recognize Hanuka with a traditional Menorah, there is a manger and plaque set up to recognize Christmas and the birth of Jesus and there is a plaque to recognize Kwanzaa that talks about the 7 principals and has some harvest symbols displayed.

Something you may have noticed is that there is no mention of the Solstice. The pagan community is growing and not only do pagans celebrate the solstice but there are many Atheists who also recognize the Solstice as the reason for the season. One would think they wouldn't want to leave such a large group of people out.

I don't like being the type of person who lets something bother them without doing anything about it, so I've decided to try and contact them and perhaps make a display myself to share and educate the community at large about our faith.

If anyone else lives in central MA and knows which display I'm talking about, CONTACT ME! I would love to make this a group effort. If anyone knows how I can contact the makers of this holiday display and/or would like to participate let me know.

This concept of getting involved is really quite scary to me. If you've read my About Me tab you probably already know I live my spiritual life mostly in the broom closet. So I've been racking my brain about a way to possibly do this anonymously. If I make any progress in this venture I'll be sure to let you know!

A Resolution on the Horizon

Many of you over the last few days have heard of the Turner family and what poor Christopher went through. Doing a little research this morning I have discovered what is hopefully some good news.

Turner Family Support!

Statement from NGS, CoG, DLC, LLL, Circle Sanctuary:

After concerns spread about some problems with accommodating Pagan students needs at Bowdon Elementary School (BES), there was an overwhelming show of community support for the Turner family of Carroll County in western Georgia, USA. Many local Pagans and associated organizations reached out to assist the Turners by prov...iding emotional support and offering practical advice. The Turners have been deeply touched by this out-pouring of spirit and wish to express their sincerest gratitude.

In addition, a Task Force of local and national Pagan organizations have come together to help resolve issues between the Turners and BES. The Task Force also hopes to provide the school with Pagan accommodation information and materials with the hopes of avoiding misunderstandings and other problems in the future. Represented in this group are the North Georgia Solitaries (NGS), both the local and national chapters of the Covenant of the Goddess, Circle Sanctuary and Lady Liberty League.

Currently, Carroll County Schools, led by the assistant superintendent, has expressed an active interest in resolving the current tensions and is planning to meet with Ms. Turner. The family and the Task Force are requesting that those with concerns about their situation do not directly contact the school or its employees. It is important that everyone involved have the maximum space needed to focus on resolving this conflict in a positive way. However, all concerned individuals are welcome to show their support for the Turners through the Turner Family Support Facebook fan page or through the simple use of prayers and energy toward a peaceful resolution and healing.

Please direct all media questions to pio@dogwoodlc.org.

It's heartwarming to know that so many, came together so quickly. Hopefully a lesson is learned by the school. As always, the more I know the more I will share. In the mean time please visit the Turner Family Support page on Facebook.